Honest question: why do you like collecting error coins?

I’m a variety guy so I don’t actively search for errors but when they find me, it’s a good day.

 

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THE HUNT, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SO EASY TO BE FOUND, SEARCH 30.00 IN NICKELS YOU MIGHT FIND 4 MINOR AND PERHAPS 1 MAJOR CLASH OR SO, SCARCITY, AND THEY JUST CALL OUT TO ME, I LIKE ODD, WEIRD THINGS, I TOO AM ODD AND WEIRD..AND A BIT ECCENTRIC, LIKE MY COINS!

 

I'm not big on errors - I have a few and do look for them in my change. But I see a couple reasons to like them:

1. They bring specific parts of the minting process to attention that are normally taken for granted when one looks at a completed coin. Focus shifts a lot more from "what is this coin" and "how nice is this coin,", to "how was this coin made?"

2. The government wants to appear infallible and will never admit a mistake. I had a Denver Mint employee flat out tell me, "we don't make errors here" when I took the tour in 2000*. Well, we can hold physical proof to the contrary!

#2 not so much as #1, but the thought crossed my mind and given me a tiny bit of satisfaction.

*All of the error coins in my possession at the time were from Denver.